


Intertwined

by bannalawrence17



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Harry Potter Next Generation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-20
Updated: 2015-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-31 09:37:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3973141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bannalawrence17/pseuds/bannalawrence17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Maggie is a Hogwarts student in her fifth year, and she loves school. Five years ago when she was sorted into Hufflepuff, she knew it was the right choice for her. She has also been a kind, simple girl, who wore her heart on her sleeve. Carter is also in his fifth year, but was sorted into the Slytherin house. His cunning, charm, and ambition makes the house a good fit for him. But which one of them is hiding a dark secret? Who knew that the two of them would be an unlikely match?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> There are no tags, but there is explicit smut, just letting you know.

Maggie loved Hogwarts. She loved the classes, the food, the teachers, her dorms, her friends. Everything! And to be honest, she didn't particularly mind the time away from home. She felt free to be her regular bubbly self at school, and somehow she didn't have that freedom at home. Although she loved her family, she didn't quite fit in with them.  
Recently, she has started dating a boy named Elijah, whom she very much liked. He was just as warm as her and returned her affections. Maggie was pretty, with her honey colored hair, bright green eyes, friendly freckles, and tall soft willowy figure, but she hadn't quite believed anyone would ever find her attractive enough to have more than the occasional hookup with. Elijah was handsome. He was tall and thin with puffy dark brown hair, and golden eyes.  
She especially liked lying in his arms by the fire. Content was the word she thought of when she saw him. Not the flaming passion her friend Chloe insisted she had felt with her last boyfriend Edmund, just steady quiet happiness.  
Not that she minded, there was a reason she was a Hufflepuff. Maggie was sincere, and her love was simple. She saw no point in playing games of the mind or heart, and was straightforward with her feelings. Duplicity and cunning had no place in her life, and she quickly dropped any friends that had a lot of drama, or betrayed her in any way.  
This hatred of cunning made her avoid Slytherins, who often enjoyed it. Maggie had once heard a Slytherin girl proudly telling her friends a story about how she'd led on four boys at one time, and ultimately manipulated them into giving her wonderful, expensive presents.  
There was another reason she avoided the Slytherins as a whole however, and his name was Carter. He didn't look like a Slytherin, who were usually somehow snakelike. This boy was tall, but sturdy. He had jet black hair, and widely set shoulders.  
Maggie had first seen him on her way to her first year at Hogwarts, on the magnificent train. Instantly her breath was taken from her, and she felt hot and cold at the same time, tingles rushed down to her toes and fingers. What was this feeling? It felt dangerous.  
She was standing outside her own compartment, buying some lunch from the trolley when she heard his voice floating from the one next to hers. "Well of course I'm going to Hogwarts, I need to to get a job of power in the Ministry, where I can control what happens with all the trade. Or, technically." The other kids in the apartments laughed, but the words chilled Maggie's blood.  
Attraction and fear warred in her brain desperately. "Dear, dear, will that be all?" The concerned trolley lady asked, she had become lost in her thoughts and his voice  
"Oh, yes." She said in a small voice, and hurriedly shoved some money into the woman's hand. At the sound of her voice, the boy's head snapped up, his eyes widening at seeing her. She was satisfied he hadn't got a good luck, because then she was gone.  
Relief (and was that a twinge of disappointment?) flooded through her when they were sorted into different houses. She knew they would probably have a few classes together, but not too many.  
She shoved this boy, Carter she had learned was his name, to the back of her mind, and successfully wasn't too bothered by the thought of him.  
There were instances of course. Once, in third year her bag ripped when she was walking alone in the hallway from the weight of her books. He just happened to round the corner as she knelt to the floor, a steady stream of curses coming out of her mouth under her breath. Without a word, he knelt to help her. "Thanks." she said and repaired her bag, shoving the books back in.  
"No problem." he said in his deep, pleasing voice that made her knees go weak, she tried desperately to keep a straight face. "If you want I could carry some to where you're going, it's only going to break again."  
"No, no I can carry some myself. Thanks again." Her voice didn't break and she felt a swell of pride. He opened his mouth as if to say something else, but she brushed past him on her way again before he could.  
Then there was the time in fourth year when he asked to borrow her silver knife in potions. She had been unprepared for this, and utterly focused on the work, so she almost tipped over her cauldron. She handed it to him without a word. "Thanks." he said, using it quickly and handing it back.  
She caught her breath when at the end of class she walked past his work station and saw his own perfectly good silver knife lying on the cutting board.  
So uneventful, so ordinary, but to her they seemed the most dramatic moments of her life. The air between them was always charged. The pinnacle of everything she felt would happen at the Winter Ball. It happened each year just before Christmas Break. Only fifth years and above were allowed to go to the Ball, although many snuck in. By then the teachers didn't really care.  
Somehow she thought that something would happen. However, she shook herself, repeating to herself that she was being ridiculous. She was going to the Ball with her wonderful boyfriend, Elijah. They were going to dance, to kiss, maybe make out, even though they would be in public. Even though her teachers might see. The evening would be glowing in the golden light of candles, and the gardens would be draped in silver moonlight.  
Maggie bought a periwinkle colored dress, which set off her honey colored hair nicely, and Elijah's black dress robes would go perfectly. She loved the dress, it gathered around her chest, showing just the right amount. It hugged closely at her hips and average sized waist, and flowed gently from there to her feet. The material felt like water in her hands, and almost felt like wearing nothing when she had it on.  
But when ever she pictured it, she saw Carter's face in her head, them dancing kissing...other things. As much as she tried, she couldn't get those pictures out of her head.


	2. Chapter Two

Carter was utterly confused by her. She shone to him. Maybe it was the way the sun glinted off her honey hair. Maybe it was the way her eyes sparkled playfully, yet sincerely. Sometimes in the courtyard when she was studying with her friends, he would be sitting in the tree above, reading.   
He really didn't mean to overhear, and he was always get there before her. Only about four times out of sixty would she sit below it. He admired the fact that she was simply straightforward and sincere.   
Once he almost jumped down and punched the person she was talking to. It was skinny, scraggly girl with slightly weathered hair. "I just think you shouldn't talk outright to him, as you so usually do."  
"What do you mean?" asked Maggie.   
"I mean, I kinda kissed him last night. It was just so charged. Of course, he rejected me, but he likes that. That kind of passion. That's all I'm saying." Maggie's eyebrows drew together in distress. Carter felt his fist clench in anger. How dare she. Maggie was pure and sweet and wonderful, and this girl was deceit.   
A small voice whispered in the back of his head. 'Maybe you feel such an intense hatred of the girl, because she has qualities that reminds you of yourself. Qualities that make Maggie hate you, and will prevent you from ever being together.'  
For it did seem as though Maggie hated him. He thought he had made his attraction clear. The silver knife? Helping her with her books? To any person he knew those would have been clear signs to throw themselves at each other. But then he realized, she was not a Slytherin. Not a person who made seduction a game. Not a person who charmed or flirted, but a sincere person. Which is why they could never work.  
But it was more than the fact that she didn't 'flirt'. She had barely said three words to him and they had had at least two classes together every year of the five they had been at school.   
She wouldn't even say something as 'sure' or 'no problem' when she lent him the silver knife. And she clearly knew that he had his own silver knife. He had seen her see the knife, purposely left at his station.   
Obviously she didn't like mind games, and none of the things that Slytherins stood for, except for perhaps ambition. She certainly did very well in school, was always being given house points for correct answers. Blushing as she was being commended for being top of the class at her essays and tests.   
As far as he knew, he hadn't done anything to her at all. And though she avoided all Slytherins, she particularly avoided him. Carter didn't date often. He had small flings, one month relationships. Every time he started getting more into it with a girl, he couldn't get her out of his head.   
In his fantasy they were always dating and happy, sitting in a willow tree by the lake just after exams. The sun would be shining down on Hogwarts, making it shine. She was laughing as he groaned at the fact that he hadn't gotten the same answers as her. She would make him feel better by kissing him lightly on the lips, laughing slightly still, and then deepen the kiss. Suddenly it wouldn't be so funny.   
He would tangle his fingers in his hair, which he knew would be soft, and would maybe smell like pomegranate or coconut. The other would go to the small of her back. Carter would press his lips to her neck, and feel her catch her breath.   
Speaking of how she smelled made him happy. He could smell her perfume sometimes in class. It was citrusy, light, and fresh. If a breeze washed it across his face, his legs instantly went wobbly. One time when he was standing beside her in care of magical creatures, a breeze had blown the scent of it full in his face. It had overwhelmed him so much, he had to grip the rock beside him. So no one thought he was going crazy, he played it off as though he was feeling ill and went to the hospital wing.   
When he was being walked out by a friend he glanced over at her. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking, but he thought he saw a flash of concern in her eyes. But before he could get a better look she looked away.   
These little instances drove him crazy, because he could never be sure if she felt the same way, or if it was just him creating it all in his mind. But he had been dealing with it for years.   
This attraction had been driving him crazy for far, far too long. If he continued like this, he was positive that he would go insane. It was only a matter of time. Constant day dreams in class were affecting his grades, and they had only been getting worse. He covered it all with a charming, humorous, and flirtatious bravado.  
He knew that she had hooked up with a few boys this year. They were casual things, and although he felt a twinge of jealousy of them getting to kiss and hold her, it was nothing he couldn't handle. Simply because it was just lust.   
Admittedly when he heard some Hufflepuff boys talking about how great she was at hooking up, he almost killed them, but really not such bad feeling. But then, the worst day of his life so far came around.   
He was sitting with one of his good friends, Conrad, in the Slytherin common room, discussing girls when he said: "I know she's a Hufflepuff, but that Maggie is SO hot. I wish I could get with her."   
Carter felt his throat constrict, and then he tried to act casual. "Well, why can't you?"  
Conrad raised his eyebrows. "Haven't you heard? She's got a boyfriend. Some Hufflepuff named Elijah. Figures. He doesn't deserve her."   
"Oh." He said and excused himself, agreeing with Conrad thoroughly. Carter didn't care if this new guy was the best man alive, he didn't deserve her. He felt a strange roaring in his ears, and a heat in his chest. Panic flooded through him.   
That night he had a night mare. He was at Maggie's wedding, where she was marrying a faceless man, who he knew to be Elijah. When he stood up to protest. She laughed.   
"Me a pure hearted golden goddess, why would I want to be with a snake like you?" He woke, panting. He knew he had to act then. But when?  
The Winter Ball seemed the best option for it. He could ask her to dance easily enough, and then put himself on the line. If it all went wrong, so be it. He couldn't wonder forever.   
So, he bought some new emerald green dress robes (to match her eyes), and prepared for the moment it seemed his school career had been leading up to.


	3. Chapter Three

The night before the ball, Maggie couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned for hours, read, got a glass of water, and even threw open the windows (until her roommates woke up and yelled at her to close the windows on the frigid winter air). She felt trapped.   
When she had first come to Hogwarts, had her parents see her off at Platform 9 and 3/4's she had been relieved. Maggie was the baby of the family, and so all of her brothers and sisters were already out of Hogwarts.   
But the minute she had seen Carter's face she had known she was screwed. Just as she was getting away from everything she had to sought to escape from at home, the Universe had shoved him.  
That night in her dorm she had felt...suffocated. Like her attraction to him and her desire to stay far away from him were warring again. Because she felt like the Ball was a turning point, she had allowed the previously ignored battle to come to the forefront of her mind.   
The part of her that was attracted to him wanted to act, to get it over with, and to see if he felt the same. And then what? The other part countered. Be with him? Wouldn't that just be proving everyone at home right? Showing them that she was just like them after all? She shivered at that. No. She was nothing like them. What had all that work been for then, if not to protect...everyone? And Carter, he would only bring it out in her. The thing she tried so hard to suppress.   
That would be good. The part of her she had shoved to the bottom, 'the sickness' as she had labeled it spoke. You would be strong again, powerful again. No! She pictured it, just as her Gran had taught her, draining it from her mind, her heart. Letting it flow out of her toes.   
When she finally felt clean and safe again, she was too exhausted to think, and promptly fell asleep. She was awakened what seemed a second later by a thump on the head with a soft object. "Wha-?" she mumbled, and woke up to Chloe whacking her on the head with a pillow.   
"Get up! It's nearly lunch time! Get up!"   
"Alright! Alright!" Maggie shouted back, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.   
Chloe was talking it at a mile a minute. "I would have woken you earlier, but Clarissa made me let you sleep. Let's get some lunch and then get ready! Come on! Come on! I'm so excited."  
Maggie chuckled lightly and quickly shoved on jeans, a sweater, and pulled her bed head hair into a pony tail. After all, she was just getting breakfast. She'd clean up properly when they were really getting ready. As soon as she was dressed Chloe pulled her from the dorm and down the stairs to the common room.   
There Maggie saw Elijah and broke away. She felt guilty from all the day dreams, as though she'd been cheating on him. It was out of this guilt a long kiss was produced, clinging to her bright beacon in the gray winter's morning light.   
He made a small noise, as they usually snuck off to some part of the castle to do this type of kissing. Finally Chloe pulled her away. "As nauseatingly sweet as this is, we need to get some food into Maggie and then prepare for the Ball!" Chloe said importantly.  
"Yeah." I said smiling warmly. "Have you eaten, you should join us."  
"No, I haven't, and I'd love to!" He said brightly and followed them to the Great Hall. As Maggie served herself some Shepard's pie, and Elijah reached for a roll, Chloe gave them instructions.   
"This is not a leisure luncheon, is that clear!" she said, almost angrily. "Maybe you boys can just slip on your dress robes, ruffle your hair and be ready to go, but not us!"  
"Don't worry Chlo!" she said soothingly, "We're going to have plenty of time."   
They ate lunch in a hurried manner nonetheless, and to Maggie's dismay and simultaneous delight she thought she caught Carter staring at her as she left the hall.   
*******  
He was indeed. Carter had been taking his lunch and contemplating his plan, when he saw Maggie come in. She glowed with grace and beauty as usual, and seemed...extra affectionate with Elijah. She was giving him little kisses at random intervals. He seemed quite pleased with himself, eating with an arm around her shoulders, fingers tangled in her hair.   
Seeing his fingers playing with her hair like that, made him so fucking angry that he bent his fork, to the horror of his friends. He explained it away with pre Ball jitters, playing it charmingly off as an elaborate joke.   
What was he doing? If she was happy in this relationship, and if he truly cared for as he thought, wouldn't he want her to be happy? He did want her to, so should he just not say anything?   
But he felt so sure that she felt something for him too. And shouldn't she be given all her options? That's only fair after all. Yes, yes, whose to say she wouldn't turn him down flat. It was her decision after all. So, he was decided once again. He would tell her.  
*******  
After lunch Chloe, Maggie, and the others girl from her dorm went to the showers. Maggie was grateful for some time alone, unfortunately the steamy hot water didn't improve her mood about Carter. Once she was clean and smelling good she headed upstairs to the dorm.   
Maggie decided on doing her hair into a smooth twisting up do, leaving just a few strand loose, which she made into semi tight curls. As for makeup she didn't wear much, as she never wore any usually. Just some black eyeliner on her bottom lids, and neutral colors on her eyelids, and a bit of mascara to thicken her lashes, along with a light shade of pink lipstick. Something called "Charmingly Flirtatious; A Shade for Daring Women." It had been a bit of joke, but it looked good enough with her hair.   
Under her dress she dressed in white lacy undergarments, a silk slip, and then the dress, it's indescribable material spilling over her body. For shoes, she slipped on white heels. When she turned to face her friends, the finished product revealed for the first time, they gasped.   
"Oh! It's not fair!" Lynn said, jokingly stomping her foot.   
"Seriously though!" her friend Abigail said (who often said that she was more wolf than girl).   
Maggie blushed and smiled. "You all look more beautiful than I could ever hope to be!"   
"Oh stop! She's humble too!" Chloe said bitter sweetly.   
"We should head down." she said quietly, looking up from under her lashes at the dim room.   
They took a deep breath and headed down together, gowns swishing against the stairs.


	4. Chapter Four

Elijah's eyes widened as he saw Maggie coming down the stairs. When she approached him looking shyly up from her under her lashes, he couldn't find words to describe her beauty. "I...I- you look wonderful." He said exasperated at himself for not being more articulate. She took his offered arm, and they proceeded to leave the Hufflepuff common room with their friends. Elijah looked very handsome in his billowing black dress robes, his tawny eyes glowing with affection. Maggie was feeling very content, but not for long, because the first thing she saw was Carter. His black hair looked wonderful with his evergreen dress robes, and although he was laughing with his friend, he had no one on his arm. She scared herself with the rush of happiness at seeing him alone, and reminded herself she should feel bad. He unabashedly stared at her, smiling, as if they were old friends. Despite herself, she grinned back. This was weird, she hadn't said more than three words over their entire time in school together. The doors to the Great Hall open and as everyone processed in they gasped in at the same time. It looked as though everything had been covered in ice or snow (or perhaps diamond?) but it was warm as usual in the great hall. The ceiling showed shimmering stars such as she had never seen before. Although it was below freezing the doors to the gardens were thrown open, and no cold blew in. It seemed as though they had enchanted the gardens into looking and feeling like a mild summer night. Inside was a gorgeous Winter Wonderland. Icicles hung in spiraling beautiful forms, Christmas trees lined the walls bedecked tastefully with all the castle had to offer. Instead of being lined up like they usually were the house tables were shrunk (do to only the top three classes being permitted to attend) and pushed against the walls to give room for a dance floor that looked like an ice rink. However, it was not slippery. The head table was in it's usual place with a band playing a soft processional as the students walked in. All of them knew the band would play some classical waltz's and then rock music, from both muggle and wizarding bands, in order to further show the union between the two. Traditionally, there was one formal dance, then the feast, and then the rest of the dancing. The students filed onto the dance floor ready with their partners. Elijah's arm encircled her waist tightly, her hand on his shoulder and both their hands raised, intertwined. To her displeasure and relief, although she was not his date (Maggie could hear the girl loudly complaining about that fact), Carter was dancing with a skinny blond girl. As skirts twirled and laughter echoed from mis steps, Maggie found her eyes frequently meeting with Carter's. The stares were undeniably heated. She was so distracted by them she was quite taken by surprise when Elijah leaned down and passionately kissed her. They stopped dancing for a moment, hugging closer. Somehow this didn't feel quite right. The kiss was like tasting a soup and realizing it needs just one more ingredient, a missing spice. It was still incredibly good soup, just not the best it could be. They broke apart, both blushing, but for different reasons. Headmistress McGonagall had pursed her lips at this display, but said nothing. The song ended and the band switched to some light background music food the feast as people took their seats. The food appeared in droves, roast chicken, pork and lamb. Potatoes, asparagus, soups, everything you could possibly think of. Although the spread before her looked and smelled amazing, and those around her were having a good tuck in (high on adrenaline), she found she had little appetite. She nibbled at some chicken and mashed potatoes and told her friends she wanted to eat light so that she could dance without feeling too tired. To avoid saying much else, she nursed her pumpkin juice. Maggie's thoughts were lost in the ice blue of his eyes, in his dashing smile, his playful expression. She tried desperately to ground herself, thinking: The girl who leaves the steady good guy for the dashing one in the movie is the villain. She always regrets it too and comes back begging for forgiveness. You are not a villain. Despite her cleansing rituals a whisper of the sickness crept back in. What's so bad about being a villain? It asked. It would be easy. It would feel so good. She snapped back to attention as the last of the dessert was cleared and replaced by bowls of punch, pitchers of water and pumpkin juice, and light snacks. The music took dominance over the room again and people began to get up to go dance. Maggie jumped up eagerly. Dancing would take her mind off this. "C'mon Elijah!" she said grinning, gripping his hand tightly and leading him to the dance floor. They waltzed once more, and then get into the intense rock. Elijah and Maggie grind a bit and make out a bit along with everyone else, when a heavy seventh year Ravenclaw steps on Elijah's foot. "Ah!" he cries out in pain. But the seventh year is moving away. All she can do is help him get back to their seats. "Thanks Mags." he says. She doesn't like that pet name, she prefers 'darling', but this is hardly the time to tell him. Instead she pours some water for him. "Are you alright?" she asks, genuinely concerned. She does genuinely care for Elijah. "Yeah, I think so. I think I just need to rest for a bit." Maggie does her best to hold in a sigh at that. She really wants to dance, not only to take Carter off her mind, but because she loves to. From across the room Carter sees his chance. It looks as though that boyfriend of hers has hurt his foot, and as though she's sad because she wants to dance. Well, today is her lucky day he though happily, crossing the room and trying not to look like he wanted to run to her. "Hello." He says to the two of them. They both look up, startled, they know who he is and are no doubt wondering why he is talking to them. "I can't help noticing you are indisposed for the moment." He said, nodding to Elijah's foot. He now turned to Maggie. "As long as your date here doesn't mind, perhaps I could have the honor of this dance while he rests?" At this he puts one hand behind his back and offers the other one to her. Maggie glances at Elijah, half of her pleading for him to say it didn't bother him, half of her begging to have him be unreasonably jealous and make her stay. "It's fine with me." says Elijah. "You wanted to dance so much Mags, you should go, I'll be along in a few songs." "Alright, if you're sure." she says, and hoping neither of them notices her hand is shaking, puts it in Carter's offered one. At his touch it's as if a million volts of electricity are shooting through her. And when he bends slightly more and kisses her hand, winking, it feels as though the spot where his lips were is on fire. She rises and arm in arm they go to the dance floor. It's a waltz again, and he puts his hand lightly on her upper back, barely touching her. "So," he starts, casually. "why do you hate me?" Without meaning to her breath became a sharp inhale of air. Already he was bringing it out in her. "If I hated you, why would I dance with you?" She asked, flashing him a coy smile. This did startle him a bit, perhaps she wasn't all purity. "Well all the other signs point to it. The books, the knife. I made many attempts to interact with you and you flatly ignored all of them, never giving me more words than absolutely required." "Maybe it's the mystery that keeps you intrigued." She says shakily. "Perhaps, although I think it's more than that." His hand presses slightly more firmly into her back, she doesn't argue, his touch feels so good, how can she? Being in his arms was like drinking a glass of ice water after a ten mile run on the hottest day of August. "You avoid Slytherins as a whole. Makes sense, you being a Hufflepuff and all. But you particularly avoid me. In all the classes we've had together over the years, nearly ten, I've noticed that you make a point to sit or work as far away from me as the room allows. Care to explain?" Maggie knows what she should do. She should tell him to piss off. She should tell him she does hate him, that she doesn't owe him one explanation, and then storm off the dance floor. Instead she goes with: "I don't hate you." It's spoken in a strong voice, it is undoubtedly true. He seems pleased. "Ah. Well then in my mind there's only one other explanation." His hand pressed tighter to you, and slid down to the small of her back, just above the curve of her bum. "You're attracted to me. But for some reason, you don't want to act on it. In fact, you want to suppress it. I am attracted to you too, darling. Now tell me, why should we force ourselves a part any longer?" With each word his face had moved a tiny bit closer to hers until their lips almost brushed, just missing each other. The last note of the music strained as it did, she leased against him, lipstick on his ear as she whispered. "Midnight. The gardens. Alone."


End file.
